I was surprised by the suggestion from the Roanoke Times editorial board ("Impeachment?", June 7) that I called for the impeachment of Donald Trump for political reasons, namely that I was pursuing "good politics in the fevered confines of a Democratic primary".

Brad Sherman has told colleagues that he may try to force a vote in the full House if the Judiciary Committee declines to consider a proposed article of impeachment that he's still finalizing.

Obstruction was an article of impeachment against President Richard Nixon before he resigned and was one of the counts on which the House impeached President Bill Clinton, who was later acquitted by the Senate.

Democrats have repeatedly pointed to Trump's firing of former FBI Director James Comey and subsequent statements to the news media that he fired the head of the agency while considering the FBI investigation into Russia's meddling in last year's election, as an example of the president interfering with a federal probe into his campaign and new administration. His letter concluded, "I have no illusions. But given the risk posed to the republic, we should move things forward as quickly as possible". In fact, many Virginia Democratic voters I have talked to have told me they oppose impeachment because that might leave us with Mike Pence as president!

Sherman will spend the next couple of days getting input from lawmakers on his bill, and then he'll decide when to formally introduce legislation, per his office. But so far, aside from Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, no other members have publicly voiced support for the formal effort to impeach Trump.

Sherman asked for the House to move as quickly as possible for the removal of the President in order to "ensure a competent government that respects the Constitution and the rule of law". Green still needs to get most of the House of Representatives and two thirds of the Senate on board, and both the House and the Senate are controlled by Trump's Republican Party, so it's highly unlikely, but still, it's a start.